Todd Allison and Petunia's Violets
by SquickWrites
Summary: Todd Allison is a botanist. Australian Violets should not be blooming at the end of Summer.
1. Blooming Violets

His name is Todd Allison, and her name is Petunia Elkwood.

He is a botanist, and she is not, but she had somehow one upped him in his profession.

He learned this when he noticed violets growing at the end of summer.

Flower shops were not uncommon in the middle of more urban parts of Australia, but rarely did they hold anything that was truly of interest to a botanist. Todd Allison had been returning to his apartment when he saw the flower shop, with washed blooms in the back of a store. They were not the main display, certainly, since he could hardly catch a glimpse of them through the display window; but they were eye-catching. To not go in was not an option.

"Excuse me?" Todd barged in, his eyes glued to the flowers.

The only other people in the store were an elderly couple, invested in daffodils nearer the front of the store. They hardly glanced at Todd as he entered, enthralled by the bright shade of yellow. But Todd was fixated on the dull purple flowers in the back. Squinting at them, he dashed over to the counter against the wall.

"Evening, Miss, uh-"

"My name is Hana." The dark haired Asian woman behind the desk had a mildly bothered expression on her face. "Is there something you're looking for?"

"Something I was looking _at_, really." Todd gestured to the blooms in the back of the room, dismissing her tone. "Those flowers back there – those are violets."

Hana raised her eyebrows in _slight _agitation. "Yes, I'm aware. I am selling them. The whole back corner is violets."

Todd closed his eyes and sighed loudly. "Yes, _Hana_, but those are Australian violets."

The woman narrowed her eyes and walked from behind the counter and over to the plants. In one swift motion, she jabbed her pointer finger at the plate beneath the flowers. "Sir, this plate clearly says _Australian Violets, Viola hederacea_. I _know _what I'm selling."

After following her to the back corner, Todd began tapping his foot angrily. "_Hana_, do you grow the plants here yourself?"

The saleswoman folded her arms in agitation. "My coworker Norah and I grow all of the plants here."

"Great, so might I ask-"

"_Except_" Hana interrupted him. "Except the lotus blooms."

"Right; then the question still stands of-"

"And" Hana glared at him then. "The Australian violets."

Todd sagged slightly. "Of course."

"I apologise if this does not please you." Hana then swished around, and sashayed back to her counter.

"Then who is your supplier? Where do you purchase them?" He turned to Hana quickly as he pursued the topic. "How long does it take them to get here, and what method of transportation do you use?"

Hana snapped back to him. "_Mister_-"

"Allison!" Todd yelled back. He regained his composure, "Todd _Allison_."

The elderly couple had ensured to stay as far from those two as they possibly could.

"Mister _Allison_." Hana concluded. "It is not my place to hand out information about my _supplier_, and I would rather not hand out information about my business."

"_Miss-_"

"Ikimoto!" She screeched. "My name is _Hana_ Iki_moto_!"

"Miss Ikimoto." Todd groaned. "If you would please just tell me about the supplier-"

"I've just told you." Hana shook her head. "I am not willing to hand out my supplier's information to a complete stranger."

"Then I'm assuming it's someone you know personally?"

"_What_?"

Todd grinned slowly. "Well you did get awfully defensive about them. I could see why giving _private_ information would pose an issue."

Hana grew stiff at once. "Mr. Allison, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Todd's grin nearly fell from his face. "But Miss Ikimoto I-"

"Mister Allison."

The dark skinned woman who had just finished with the elderly couple bothered to enter the conversation then. "Hana, go easy on him, will you?"

Todd jumped at her voice, seeing as he hadn't noticed her earlier. Hana slammed her hands down onto the counter angrily, staring at the other lady.

"But Norah, I don't think-"

Norah shook her head as she began pruning the roses. "It won't hurt to ask her."

"_Norah_!" Hana hissed out as the bits of information slipped from her coworker's mouth.

"What?" Norah shrugged boredly. "If you won't do it I'll ask her myself. He's interested, give him a chance."

Hana was seething. Todd brightened. "_Thank you_, Norah."

"We'll give her the message." Norah nodded to him before turning back to her flowers.

Chewing a bit of her hair, Hana furrowed her brows. "But why are you so invested in the violets? They don't sell very well, and their colors are dull. There's not much interest to them."

"They're Australian violets." Todd shook his head at the clerk. "It's nearly mid-September, and those violets are newly bloomed."

"And?"

"The Australians bloom in the spring, and die back nearing autumn." He glanced back to the flowers. "While it's possible for them to live a bit longer, it is uncommon for them to be _freshly blooming_ at this time."

Hana frowned. "And these are such important details to you for what reason?"

"Miss Ikimoto, I'm a botanist." Todd plunged his hands into his pockets as Hana lifted her chin out of curiosity. "Things like this are of interest to me. You said it yourself – these violets are dull and uninteresting. Why bother cultivating them to grow at such an improbable time?"

"I don't know." Hana retaliated. "_Maybe_ the grower has a particular fondness for them."

"Yes well, I would love to have a _real _answer sometime soon." Todd nodded to Hana, moving to the door as the conversation drew to a close. "I will return tomorrow."

"Well aren't you _smug_!" Hana shouted, enraged at his tone.

Todd Allison waved to Hana, and bowed his way out the door. "Tomorrow, then."


	2. Petunias and Roses

Todd Allison _did _return the next day. In fact, he left his other work behind early in order to flee to the florist's shop. Of course, he wouldn't _tell _Hana that. So a block away from his destination, he slowed down, took deep breaths and compiled himself before he let the door swing open. Just as he entered, Hana was leaving the back room.

The second that their eyes made contact, she rolled hers, and began heading back into the room.

"Wait! Hana!" Todd jumped towards her, but she paused of her own will. "We had an agreement."

"_No_." Hana disagreed instantly. "You had an agreement with _Norah_. I don't want anything to do with you."

"Hana would you please just-"

"Don't try to hassle me into doing something-"

"But the supplier is-"

"Why can't you just drop it?"

"Because I am genuinely _curious _as to how-"

Norah emerged from the back room, and the children ceased their quibbling at once. The woman glanced at Todd, who bit is tongue, then at Hana, who wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Hana, I believe you have something for Mister Allison."

Hana stomped her foot, glaring at her coworker. "But Norah! This isn't fair!"

"It's completely fair." Norah plopped the pot of petunias onto the counter. "We both talked to her and she said that she wouldn't mind meeting the friendly botanist."

"Well she didn't _mean_ it!"

"Hana, I do not need you to translate what she means."

"Norah! I don't trust-"

Norah held up her hands to Hana, and shook her head once. And that was it. That was the end of the conversation. Thus, begrudgingly, Hana reached into the pocket of her dress and slid a slip of paper across the counter to a very confused Todd Allison. Despite the confusion, he didn't hesitate to take the paper. By now, he was positively _giddy_ that he was going to learn the secrets-

But when he saw the address printed on the sheet, his smile dropped, and he stared.

"What?" Hana leaned against the counter, folding her arms. "What is it now?"

Todd snapped out of the trance, shoving the paper into his pocket. "Nothing, it's nothing. Thank you – very much, Norah." He began to back away from the counter. "I'll be taking my leave now, thank you Hana – another time, then?" And with that he was out the door.

He walked a few feet, so that the clerks wouldn't see him through the display window, then, calmly, he threw himself against one of the buildings groaning loudly.

Swiping a hand down his face in annoyance, he looked at the address again. Then he slammed his head into the wall behind him, because there was no mistaking it.

The address was in his building, right next door.

Todd stormed into the building and was up the stairs in seconds. After all, he knew exactly where he was going. Seeing as the mystery florist was right next door to him. Right under his nose. Right there. The whole time. He knocked on the door, furiously.

The girl opened the door, shock and fear splayed across her face.

The _neighbors_ stared at each other for a moment.

He thought she looked vaguely familiar.

She knew his name.

"Todd Allison?" She screamed that.

He was startled, and squinted at her. "Why do you-?"

"Todd Allison, are you a botanist?!"

"I-"

"I thought you were a pianist the whole time!"

"_How _did you…"

She covered her mouth instantly, blushing profusely. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" At which point, she promptly slammed the door in his face.

Todd Allison was very unsure of what to do. So he just stood there for a few minutes.

Eventually the door opened again.

The girl stared at him in horror.

"I don't know what I was thinking."

Todd screwed his face up, honestly befuddled. "Pardon my asking, but I don't even know your name. How do you know where I work?"

Petunia's jaw dropped, and the door slammed in Todd's face once more.

Todd knocked on the door then muttered through the wood. "Hello?"

On the other end, Petunia began spilling her life's information. "My name is Petunia Elkwood I am eighteen years old and your next door neighbor we live in the same apartment I am currently unemployed and I sometimes get tea at the restaurant where you play – I grow flowers."

"That is lovely, Petunia." Todd knocked again. "But I would rather have this conversation without a door between us."

Instantly, Petunia threw the door open. "Right!"

Todd nodded. "Might I come in?"

"Might you- You might- You could-" Petunia stopped herself. "Yes." She swept her hands, gesturing for him to enter. "You can come in."

"Thank you." Todd replied, and ventured inside, somewhat worried that the door might close on him again.

Petunia slammed the door shut and tossed herself against it the second he was inside. She looked absolutely _mortified _that this man was in her house. And when Todd caught sight of her horrified face, he couldn't help but feel somewhat _unsettled_.

The room was quaint, at best. She had a stove, a table with three chairs, a fridge, and a few cabinets across the main room. She would not starve any time soon, and was well enough. However, she would be categorized as barely scraping by, in his book. _Unemployed_ – that word seemed to hang in the room.

"Todd Allison, are you the botanist?"

He tried to smile. "I am in fact the mysterious botanist."

"You were wondering about the violets, right?" Petunia seemed to loosen as Todd's exterior changed. "Hana said you were very interested in them."

"Yes, the Australian violets!" Todd clasped his hands behind his back. "Are you aware that they are growing out of season?"

Petunia nodded quickly. "I have noticed that. The ones that grow wild around here – most of them have died off by now. Some of mine are still just blooming."

"Some?"

"Ah, yes! Some." She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "A few of them die back at the normal time; the others last much longer, or bloom later altogether."

"Really?"

"Really!" Petunia smiled widely. "I could show you, if you would like."

Todd nodded. "I would love that."

Petunia dashed past her guest, leading through a doorway to a back room. Here, there were two screened windows and a doorway leading to a balcony. In each indoor windowsill sat a flower box. One box was brimming with purple and white flowers, while the other's blooms were subsiding, dulling somewhat.

Todd stared at the plants intently. "I see."

"Yes, they have always been like this." Petunia chimed in, rocking in place.

"Always? How long have you been growing them?" Todd asked, looking between the two pets.

Petunia seated herself in a chair in the corner. "Violets are perennials anyway – the dying ones I have had for about three years now. This will probably have been their last bloom. The others I would say are on their fourth; or maybe fifth? Much longer, I am sure."

"That life span is-"

"Very extensive. I know." Petunia began twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Is that bad?"

Todd reached his hands around one of the violet's vines. "Not bad. Just very… bizarre." He stood up. "Is there a reason you keep the plants potted separately? Or is it just overflow from one pot to another?"

Petunia shot out of her chair. "Oh, no! They are different plants!"

Todd squinted. "But aren't they both Australian violets?"

"Yes! But uh- Let's say the other ones are special."

"Special how?" He turned to his hostess. "Would you mind telling me?"

Petunia seemed to sink a bit. "No, I don't mind. It's just that the seeds are different." She walked a bit closer to Todd, gesturing towards the dying flowers. "Those are the normal ones – I grow them myself, from seed to sprout." She then nodded to the violets before them. "These ones were sent to me as seeds by… someone close."

Todd leaned back, rubbing his chin in confusion. "So what makes you certain they aren't normal?"

"Oh! That's because he told me so!" Petunia lighted. "At first I didn't understand, but I noticed how oddly they grew myself. There's definitely something different to them."

Todd nodded. "This person sends you the seeds of the violets, and you just grow them?"

"This person and I go very far back. We've grown flowers together for a long time." Petunia sighed. "Not growing them isn't an option."

"And it's just the violets?"

"No! Not at all!" Petunia opened the door to the balcony, sidling outside. "They also send me roses."

Todd Allison followed her through the door, and potted upon table the length of the balcony were roses. Blue roses. Some lighter, less apparent shades, others in a more royal tone.

Once again, Todd Allison was stunned, and at a loss for words.

Once again, something was of interest to a botanist.

"Are those roses-"

"Blue? Yes." Petunia nodded, certain of herself now. "They are blue roses. They're some of my favorites, really."

Todd had to tear his eyes away from the navy flowers to bother looking around himself. Behind him was an array of lotus blossoms, red and yellow blooms floating in the pots of the outer windowsills.

"Is there anything I need to know about these ones?" Todd pointed to the yellow flowers. "What? Do these fly, and the other ones sing?"

Petunia giggled lightly. "No, those are normal."

"Good." Todd sighed. "Very good. Less to worry about."

"Worry?"

"Would it be alright." Todd gulped, still at a loss over the things he had seen today. "Would it be alright if I came over another time? No – other times. Might I come more times? A few times, really? To look at the flowers?"

Petunia took a second to process what he was asking of her, fumbling a bit for her words. "I- certainly! You may come back! You are a botanist, after all."

"Thank you Miss Elkwood. Very much." Todd held a hand out to her.

Petunia stared at the offering. Then, she threw her own hand out to him and grasped it tightly. Without making eye contact, she shook his hand once, then quickly dropped it.

"You're welcome. That's fine."

Petunia didn't move after that, so Todd took the initiative to start out the door, the girl trailing after him.

"I will pay you another visit soon, Miss Elkwood." Todd added as he left her apartment.

Petunia smiled softly. "That would be lovely, Todd Allison. I – Another time. I will see you."

Todd Allison waved as the door closed on his face for the last time that day. He glanced back at the young woman's apartment for a moment before opening the door to his own. With an exasperated sigh, Todd Allison threw himself onto his couch.

This whole time. Right next door. Right under his nose.


End file.
